Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Pikes, Muskets and Flouncy Shirts => Topic started by: 6milPhil on July 07, 2018, 11:49:47 AM
-
A lot of the mini's from this period have hats which have white hems on the top edge.
For me they're the hardest part of the whole thing, drives me to distraction, so how does everyone else do them?
Has anyone tried using a paint pen for these? Or any other shortcut will do...
-
In 28mm I just do them free hand with a good pointed small brush and it's not too bad. I actually don't mind doing it. Same with lines down trousers. You get better with practice, but I sometimes have to touch up the edge with the black hat colour or trouser colour about 50% of the time afterwards.
In smaller scales I guess a pen would be the best option.
-
I use white acrylic gel pens (In the UK they are available from 'The Range' & most art supply shops).
If I want to show the troops are 'Levellers' (ECW socialists/communists) who wore green ribbon,
I use a green highlighter over the white (once it has dried) it doesn't matter if the highlighter goes over the hat, as I have them black and it tends not to show.
Another technique is to paint the hat the ribbon colour, then paint up to the ribbon with the colour you want the hat to be. Believe me it is easier to get a neat ribbon that way.
Vodkafan is right, it will get better with practice.
-
As above, paint hat, paint trim, touch up with hat color, touch up with trim color, touch up with hat color. Yup, sometimes takes that level to get it 'right'. I do 15 mm (imagine that) and make it work.
I suspect there are very few of us who can 'paint it right' the first time without the touch up effort. And touch up goes beyond just the hat. Well, at least for me.
-
As above, paint hat, paint trim, touch up with hat color, touch up with trim color, touch up with hat color. Yup, sometimes takes that level to get it 'right'.
Sounds about right. On a particularly bad day it is the above times 5 for me. lol
Out of interest, what exactly are we talking about? Is it the tape or lace trim on a tricorne, or something else? (not too well-versed in this period)
-
As above, paint hat, paint trim, touch up with hat color, touch up with trim color, touch up with hat color.
Ditto - just painting the lace on a load of Galloping Major "60th Brits". Luckily enough they have the lace well defined, making them easier to paint.
RMZ
-
Paint the whole hat the hem colour then paint up to it with black. It is far easier to paint large areas up to a detail.
-
Yes it does get better with practice. I have an excessive number of F&IW figures and painting the hat ribbons/lace is a frequent operation. To paint the lace line, I use a medium to fine brush and then touch up with the hat color. The Dixon, Front Rank and Galloping Major figures are easy to complete. Sometimes the figures without an included ribbon molded onto the hat are a challenge. I find using a brush angle from below (respective to the figure) the hat with a good flow of paint makes the process go quickly. It is all a matter of too little time and too many figures in too many periods!
-
28mm figures, I actually don't use the tip of the brush but the side. Load the brush, then slide it along the edge of the hat. Then touch up with black, but honestly, this is a rare requirement.
The hat band is more tricky, but like others, I paint white then touch up around with black. I'm very particular about neat edges. ::)
(http://www.orctrader.co.uk/Images/FrontRank/1685_Kings_Men.jpg)
(http://www.orctrader.co.uk/Images/Historical/1672DutchPike%20%281%29.jpg)
-
Yep. Side of the brush. That’s the technique I use too.
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/11/577_01_10_12_6_21_06_2.jpg)
-
Blimey, plenty of food for thought everyone - thanks... but also the kind of photographic joy which has me snapping my brushes in two...
-
If you have the patience, applying some narrow masking tape might help, though I imagine this would be tricky in itself. There are very narrow and flexible types available now, from Tamiya. One is reviewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur_uW6y-Mpk
-
Yeah I have used old page layout border tape before. Tbh that's a step too far.
-
I used to use the edge of the brush too which worked really well. I recently tried using a white gel pen (Uniball Signo about £2.50 from ebay) and I have not looked back, much easier.
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1765/43027265062_568e9347eb.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/28yaYRC)100_6371 (https://flic.kr/p/28yaYRC) by Roger Castle (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152172226@N06/), on Flickr
-
Yeah I have used old page layout border tape before. Tbh that's a step too far.
I thought it was perhaps somewhat OTT, but might be worth considering. Another thought has since occurred to me, but at least until such time as I have personal experience to go by, I'll keep it to myself.
-
“Yep. Side of the brush. That’s the technique I use too.”
Woohoo! I’ve being doing it right all these years and never knew. Richard’s endorsement has made my day.
-
I used to use the edge of the brush too which worked really well. I recently tried using a white gel pen (Uniball Signo about £2.50 from ebay) and I have not looked back, much easier.
Aye my first effort below.
I thought it was perhaps somewhat OTT, but might be worth considering. Another thought has since occurred to me, but at least until such time as I have personal experience to go by, I'll keep it to myself.
Sure but I'd like to make it quicker after all.
Got the paint pen and charged at a black hat with it...
I took two coats...
(https://i.imgur.com/dx3KkhB.jpg)
and is a bit cocked, purely me and a first approach, ikely to get tidier with practice.
(https://i.imgur.com/ivdF2Y3.jpg)
but then tidied up by blacking in as RobH suggested and I'm happy with it...
(https://i.imgur.com/PJMJdHm.jpg)
-
Wont get much better than that. Looks ace.
-
Works a treat Phil :)
-
Very smooth mate :)
-
Gel pens are useful for hat tape (white, yellow, silver and gold) but also to highlight metalics, I use silver to put an edge onto swords for instance. I havent used them for anything else yet.
-
Yep. Looks very tidy Phil. :)